Method and system for quantum and quantum inspired ghost imaging

Abstract

A preferred embodiment comprises a method and system for generating an image of a subject or area comprising a processor; at least one incoherent light source which illuminates the subject or area; a first receiver for receiving light reflected from the subject or area operatively connected to the processor; a second receiver for receiving light from at least one incoherent light source operatively connected to the processor; the first receiver collecting the amount of light reflected from the subject and transmit a value at specific intervals of time; the second receiver comprising a second detector which detects and transmits spatial information regarding the incoherent light source independent of any data concerning the subject at specific intervals of time; wherein the processor correlates the value transmitted by the first receiver with the spatial information derived from the second receiver at correlating intervals of time to create an image of the subject or area. Alternatively, sound or quantum particles may replace the incoherent light source.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 993,792 filed Dec. 6, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference.GOVERNMENT INTEREST[0002]The invention described herein may be manufactured, used, and licensed by or for the United States Government.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003]This invention relates in general to a process and apparatus for quantum ghost imaging and in particular to a process using the properties of quantum ghost imaging to generate an image of an object via correlations between photons, sound or quantum particles reflected off the object and with photons, sound or quantum particles that have never interacted with the object.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]The ability to image through obscuring media remains a problem in a variety of fields. By way of example, imaging of distant objects through the obscuring media of smoke or clouds is a problem that plagues satellite imaging analy...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0023]The source of radiation may be one of an entangled, thermal/incoherent (sun, light bulb, flame, environmental radiation), or chaotic light source. Thermal is a type of incoherent light. The present invention may be practiced using all wavelength forms of light (e.g., X-rays, visible, etc.). The photons from the light source are divided into two paths. In one path is the object to be imaged, in the other path images of the entangled, thermal, or chaotic light are measured independent of interaction with the objects. Any or all paths may pass through an obscuring medium. The measurements of the entangled, thermal, or chaotic light are then stored for future processing. The light in the object path is collected into a bucket detector and measured. The measurements of the bucket detector are then stored for future processing. A process for solving for the G(2) Glauber coherence between the two paths is provided to reconstruct the image. The G(2) Glauber coherence between the two paths is used to generate a correlation two-photon ghost image. The present invention is not limited to photons and can be conducted with any quantum particle. The principles of the present invention are not limited to light and may be practiced utilizing, e.g., using sound, electron, proton or neutron sources as the “illuminating” component of the ghost imager. Moreover, the obscuring materials may comprise foliage or vegetation in remote sensing applications and tissue in medical applications Ghost imaging may be used to achieve higher resolution than the standard Rayleigh diffraction limit using entangled or non-entangled quantum particles or other forms of radiation referenced herein.

[0024]The present invention is directed to a ghost imaging system that provides reflective object imaging with an improved sensitivity in the presence of an obscuring medium. In contrast to classical reflective object imaging, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the photon ghost image is theoretically less dependent on image distortion associated with photon transit through obscuring medium and in practice there is only nominal image distortion associated with light t

Problems solved by technology

The ability to image through obscuring media remains a problem in a variety of fields.

By way of example, imaging of distant objects through the obscuring media of smoke or clouds is a problem that plagues satellite imaging analysts, firefighters, drivers, oceanographers, astronomers, military personnel, and medical personnel.

Conventional imaging techniques have, to a large extent, arrived at the theoretical limits of image resolution owing to wavelength-limited resolution, optical element distortions, and the reflective interaction between photons and an object to be imaged.

Ghost imaging holds the prospect of improving image resolution but efforts in regard to ghost imaging have met with limited success owing to a lack of understanding of the phenomena.

However, in most real world applications, photonic transmi

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